Email scams target off-island job seekers

The Financial Crime Unit of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service is warning the public about two employment scams targeting off-island job seekers.

The advertisements, circulated via email, claim to be recruiting staff for two hotels on Grand Cayman, the Westin and another unnamed “luxury” hotel, the police said in a press release.

The Westin informed the RCIPS that the advertisement is not genuine.

The emails ask applicants to send money via Western Union to pay for half of their airfare to Grand Cayman, as well as the FedEx cost for the plane ticket and their work permit. The emails refer job seekers to a purported immigration lawyer, “Marilou M. Cariazo,” as the receiver of the funds.

The advertisement claims to be from “Mr. C. Velasquez, the CEO of the Westin Hotel.” There is no immigration lawyer in the Cayman Islands or person affiliated with the Westin by either name, the police release said.

A second advertisement appears highly suspicious, the FSU said, and job seekers are strongly recommended not to respond to it.

The Financial Crime Unit reminds job-seekers that legitimate employers in the Cayman Islands do not seek work permit costs up front and that money should never be wired in response to any job advertisements.

Such ads and emails should be treated as highly suspicious and not responded to, authorities warn.